Needle threading instrument



Dec 1946- E D. GORKA ET AL I 2,412,505

NEEDLE THREADING INSTRUMENT Filed' July 16, 1945 2 Sheets- Sheet i I M I Y INVENTORS. yaw 0 60/1? war 5. 6/ e0 ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1946.

E. D. GORKA El" AL NEEDLE THREADING INSTRUMENT Filed July 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORE.

A TTOKMEK Patented Dec. 10, 1946 OFFICE NEEDLE THREADING INSTRUMENT Elynor D. Gorka and Minor B. Gideon, Kansas City, Mo.

Application July 16, 1945, Serial No. 605,328

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mechanical needle threaders of the type that may be manually operable to project thread-like articles through the eyes of needles prior to their use as stitching means.

The primary aim of this invention is the provision of a needle threading instrument having structure for holding the needle in an operative position with respect to a thread support, which structure is capable of shifting the needle holder and thread support to and from an inter-operative condition where the thread is engaged for movement through the eye of a needle upon further shifting of the said structure.

Other aims of this invention are to provide a needle threading instrument of the aforementioned character, wherein the thread support and needle holder are relatively shiftable by manual manipulation, to the end that the thread is passed through the eye of the needle and made usable therewith; wherein the needle support has a specially formed loop that is reciprocable through the eye of the needle and automatically distensible when at one end of its path of travel; and wherein the said needle support is provided with means. for releasably maintaining the needle to be threaded in the proper position with respect to the aforesaid loop.

Other objects of the invention include the unique and novel structure that has been developed for embodying the concepts of this invention, details of which will appear during the fol lowing specification, referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 1

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a needle threading threading instrument.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevational view of the needle holder, forming a part of the threading instrument; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

The instrument chosen for illustration and that embodies the invention, is capable of use both domestically and commercially. It is capable of threading needles of all sizes with thread or yarn of any character within the range receivable by the eye of the needle, and is also useful in threading sutures through the eyes of curved surgical needles, whether the said sutures be of the wet or dry type.

Advantages arising from such an instrument are, therefore, obvious, especially since the speed of threading is an important factor whether in the home, garment factory or operating room. The instrument may be actuated by one hand with respect to the placement of the needle and the actuation of the parts for the purpose of drawing the thread through the needle eye.

In the drawings the numeral l0 designates a base upon which is mounted the operative parts of the instrument. In the instance illustrated, base It is a ring-shaped element with a cap l2 mounted on one side thereof to support the mechanism of the needle holder.

A substantially L-shaped slot having a straight leg l4 and an arcuate leg I6 is provided in cap l2, and the operating key 18 projects through this slot from a point of pivotal connection 20 on a frame 22. This frame 22 is secured to bushing 24 that passes upwardly through hole 26 formed in cap 12 where it is attached to a standard 28 made of tubular stock as is bushing 24. Bushing 24, therefore is journalled for rotation in hole 26 and is shifted about its axis with frame 22 and standard 28 as will be more fully hereinafter set down.

Spring 30 having one end secured to frame 22 as at 32 and the other end fastened to cap l2 as at 34, yieldably maintains frame 22 and its associated parts in a normal position as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

A tubular cross head 36 secured to the upper end of standard 28 in a position as clearly shown in Fig. 4, is hollow to receive plunger 38, to one end whereof is fastened the specially designed loop 40. A cable 42 is secured to plunger 38 near the opposite end thereof, and this cable passes into hollow standard 28 through opening 44 and thence around a small pulley 46 and to key It. The point of connection between cable 42 and key I8 is at 48.

A plug element 50 having a specially formed opening 52 closes one end of cross head 36 and supports the needle clamp 54. A positioner 56 is likewise mounted upon plug 50 as is the ad-.

justable stop 58. 'Stop 58 is fastened to element 50 by a screw 66 that passes through a slot 62 in stop 58. Thus, this stop may be adjusted with respect to the end of opening 52 to insure registry between the eye of needle 64 and loop 4!].

Clamp 54 is a resilient tongue produced of spring material beneath which needle 64 is easily positioned by the operator. When the needle is in the condition shown in dotted lines of Fig. 5, its eye will register with the end of opening 52, but in the event needles of a type different from those now commercially employed, are to be threaded, stop 58 may be shifted by manipulating screw 60. The notch 65 in. stop 53 centers the eye of the needle and cooperates with positioner 56 which is undulated to afford a groove or cradle for that part of needle 64 which passes thereacross.

Loop 40 is formed of spring wire and is substantially diamond-shape when in the normal distended condition, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

Loop 40 is also in the condition illustrated in.

these figures after it has been projected outwardly through plug element 50 and through. the eye. of

needle 54. The stem portion 68 of loop 40 isxlon'g:

enough to maintain the main body of loop 411 in a position projected beyond needle 6'4'after it has passed through the eye thereof. The resiliency of the material from which loop 49 is produced permits flexing and therefore; passage through the eye of needle 64 without undue restriction.

The thread support ismounted upon cap l2 and is stationary with regard; to needle holder 50. This thread support comprises a bar in and a platform T2 from which is extended a substantially arcuate tongue 14 having a cutting'notch 15 provided therein and a perforation 18 at. its free end. A series of'l0ops80 receive the thread 82 from spool 84' whichismounted upon spindle 86 carried by platform. 12.

Tongue M is in the path of travel of loop 40 when standard 28- is rotated about its axis to swing the entire needleholding assembly toward the thread support. A length of thread 82- equal to the distance between perforation 78 and cutting notch 16 is always present toinsure proper functioning of the instrument because loop 40 must carry a doubled length of thread 82 back through the eye of needle 64- at the end ofv each cycle-of operation.

Assume that the parts of the instrument are in the positions shown in the drawings and that needle 64 isin place. with its eye in alignment with theopening 52. A- length of thread 82. is depending from the free end of tongue. Hi and key 18 is in the position shown in Fig. 4.. The operator depresses key l8; whereupon the stem thereof moves into registry with the end of arcuate leg [6 and where. the key may be moved to ridealong this leg it as: it rotates frame. standard 28, and cross head38 with all theparts associated therewith. When keyl8 was depressed, loop-40 moved outwardly through opening 52 and thence through the'eye of needle Ell After loop 49. arrived at that station beyond needle 64 with portion 68' extending through the eye of the needle and through the'narrower portion of opening 52; the loop automatically ex tended to its normal size where the endof tongue 14 could enter. with the'free length of thread 82 as side-wise pressure or force was exerted by the operator upon key !8 to move said key alo the arcuate leg l6 of the slot in cap :2. Whenkey l8 reached the end of slot l6, loop 40 was in: a position beyond notch 16 and thereforethe, free length of: thread 82.- was hanging below tongue l4. At this juncture the operator releases pres sure upon key R3 to allow spring 33 to withdraw frame 22 back to itsnormal position against stop 86. As cross head. 36 is moved back to the point of beginning, 1001149 passes outwardly from; the end of tongue 14' and. carries the free length of thread 82 with it to insure that said free length of thread 82 will be drawn back into plug element 50 and through the eye of needle 64. This withdrawal of loop 40 is caused by spring 88 within cross head 36 that was compressed when cable 42 forced plunger 38 in one direction to project loop 40 outwardly through opening 52 and the eye of needle 64. Thus, a double length of thread 82 is pulled through the eye of needle 64 by loop 40 and the operator merelywithdraws the needle from beneath clamp 54 and pullsthe desired amount of thread from spool 84, after which thread is severed by engaging notch 16 Since thread. 82 remains projected through perforation T8, the severing of the thread at notch 16 will always leave: a. free length thereof of sufficient extent to be engaged by loop 40 as just above set down.

The form of'opening 52 is important and is substantially as shown in Fig. 6. The width of opening 52 is substantially the same as the diameter of the wire from which loop-40 isproducedandas loop 40 moves outwardly through the eye of needle 64 the inclined upper and. lower facesof opening. 52 will compress loop 40 to'a suificient degree to allow passage through the eye of needle 64.

Manifestly, needle threading instruments-having physical characteristicsdifierent from those illustrated may be constructed and used without departing from thespirit of the invention or scope of the appendedzclaims.

Having thus described the invention, whatis claimed as new and desired to. be securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A needle threading instrument comprising a holder for a needle. having an eye therein; a thread support; a thread-engaging. member reciprocable through the eye ofv the needle; and means operable uponrelatively shifting the said holder and the support for moving said member through the eye of the needle and inengagement with the. thread and returning said member'with the thread through. thereyeof. the needle.

2. A needle threading instrument comprising a holder for a needle having. an. eye. therein; a thread support; a loop reciprocable through the eye of the needle; and means operable upon relatively shifting the said holder. and. thesupport for projecting a portion of said support and the thread held thereby through. the. loop. after the latter has once passed through the eye: ofthe needle whereby upon. repassageof. the loop through the said eye the thread will be drawn through the eye of the needle.

3. A needle threading instrument comprising a holder fora needle having an eye therein; a thread support; a loop reciprocable through the eye of the needle; and manually operable means for reciprocating theloop and for projecting a portion of said support and the thread'held'thereby through the loop'whenthe. same is at oneend of its path of travel.

4. A needle threading. instrument comprising a holder for a needle having an eyetherein; a thread support; a loop reciprocably carried by said holder; and manually operable means for moving the loop through the. eye of theneedle and for projecting a portion of said support and the thread held thereby through the loop; when the. same is at one-end; of its path of. travel,. said manually operable means having structure for moving the loop for repassage through the. eye of the needle and yieldably holding; the loop.- at the other. end of its path: of travel where. the

loop is not projected through the eye of the needle.

5. A. needle threading instrument comprising a holder for a needle having an eye therein; a thread support; a loop reciprocable through the eye of the needle; and means operable upon relatively shifting the said holder and the support for projecting a portion of said support and the thread held thereby through the loop after the latter has once passed through the eye of the needle whereby upon repassage of the loop through the said eye the thread will be drawn through the eye of the needle, said means having a guide for compressing the loop as it passes through the eye of the needle.

6. A needle threading instrument comprising a holder for a needle having an eye therein; a thread support; a loop reciprocable through the eye of the needle; and means operable upon relatively shifting the said holder and the support for projecting a portion of said support and the thread held thereby through the loop after the latter has once passed through the eye of the needle whereby upon repassage of the loop through the said eye the thread will be drawn through the eye of the needle, said loop being normally open to receive the thread, said means having a guide to close the loop as it passes through the eye of the needle.

7. A needle threading instrument comprising a holder for a needle having an eye therein; a thread support; a tOngue on the thread support; a loop reciprocable through the eye of the needle and into embracing relation with the tongue upon relative shifting of the holder and the support; and manually operable means for reciproeating the loop.

8. A needle threading instrument comprising a shiftable holder for a needle having an eye therein; a stationary thread support; a reciprocable loop on the needle holder, said loop being movable back and forth through the eye of the needle; and manually operable means for reciprocating the loop and shifting the holder whereby to project a portion of the thread support through the loop after the latter has been moved through the eye of the needle.

9. A needle threading instrument comprising a stationary thread supporting tongue; a swingable needle holder having a loop projectible through the eye of the needle; manually operable means for projecting the loop through the eye of the needle and swinging the holder from a normal position where the loop receives the said tongue; and structure for returning the holder to its normal position and drawing the loop back through the eye of the needle, whereby to draw the thread through the said eye to thread the needle.

10. A needle threading instrument comprising a stationary thread supporting tongue; a needle holder reciprocably mounted adjacent to the thread supporting tongue; a loop carried by the needle holder for movement through the eye of the needle, said loop being in circumscribing engagement with the said tongue when the needle holder is moved about its pivotal mounting in one direction and when the loop is extended through the eye of the needle; manually operable means for shifting both the needle holder and the loop to positions where the loop is in circumscribing engagement with the said tongue and the thread supported thereby is passed through the loop; and structure for moving the needle holder in a direction to withdraw the said thread supporting tongue from within the loop but without removing the thread from the loop, said structure also serving to withdraw the loop from its position extending through the eye of the needle whereby the thread is drawn through the said eye to thread the needle.

ELYNOR D. GORKA. MINOR B. GIDEON. 

